


Funerals Suck

by haloburns



Series: Band Practice [13]
Category: Night In The Woods (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-07-18 16:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16121984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haloburns/pseuds/haloburns
Summary: Casey found herself standing in an abandoned parking lot, the Food Donkey standing empty off to the side. Her parents were busy with funeral preparations, and Nana and Papaw were taking a nap. So she was allowed to be alone for once.Leafs rattled across the parking lot, going to somewhere from somewhere. In the relative quiet from the late afternoon, Casey spoke.“I hear you,” she whispered.





	Funerals Suck

Mae shifted uncomfortably on her chair. The old Party Barn still held their old stage, but now had a folding card table that was currently their base of operations. A weird place to plan a funeral, but no one had a house anymore, and the Clik Clak was just too small.

She felt antsy, but Mae was here for Bea, so she didn’t say anything. Her nightmares had returned, and they left her with the same feeling of wanderlust they had left her with twenty-five years ago. The beauty of fall in Possum Springs had settled her before, and she hoped it would again.

“You’re not subtle. I know this is boring you, and while I appreciate you being here to support me, you’ll be more help when you’re not driving me nuts.” She leaned over and kissed Mae’s cheek before nudging her out of her chair. “Go wander, I’ll call you when we’re almost done.”

“Go on, Mae,” Bea said as she laid down yet another piece of paper. Her tone wasn’t exasperated like it usually would be. It was warm and loving.

“What?” Mae’s brain whirred, trying to process what all Bea had said and the implications it had.

Trying to hide her relief, she walked out of the Party Barn quickly. Once she was outside, she released the tension in her shoulders. The air was crisp and clear. It made Mae’s heart heavy, though, because it reminded her of what she missed about Possum Springs. That one breath of air brought back every memory, both good and bad.

She let her mind wander as she made her way back to the Inn, going to pick up Casey to take her exploring (safely).

“Mom? Dad? Casey?" she called out as she walked back into the room. Her dad shuffled out of the bedroom and looked around.

“Where’s Casey?” he asked. Mae felt her heart seize.

“Dad,” she said in a tight voice, teeth clenched. “Did you leave Casey unattended?”

“Your mom and I just took a nap. We are getting old you know—“

“Dad! It’s important that you tell me! Did you leave Casey unattended!”

“Yes, Mae. No need to shout. She’s a big girl. Why are you getting so upset?” Tears gathered in Mae’s eyes as she turned away from her dad, headed to the door.

“Better make breakfast for dinner again. We got a lot to talk about.”

The door slammed, leaving her dad a little confused.

* * *

Mae raced through Towne Centre, looking everywhere she had gone that fall. People answered her frantic question with strange looks, but she didn’t care.

“Have you seen Casey?” she asked over and over.

Hollowly, Mae wondered if this is what Mr. and Mrs. Hartley felt like when their Casey disappeared.

Finally, after an hour of searching high and low, Mae found her at the edge of the parking lot, near the fence, just staring out into the woods.

“ **_CASEY ADINA DELANEY-LEE_ **!”

She jumped, turning around quickly at the tone that included her full name.

“Mae!! I— I-“

“Don’t you start,” Mae said in a low voice. She was angry and she was afraid, but more than that, she was relieved. Mae pulled her into a tight hug, tears falling on her head. “Don’t you _ever_ do that again, do you hear me? We don’t want you wandering Possum Springs alone.”

“I know! But They’re singing, and They sound lonely,” she tried to reason. Mae saw tears in her eyes, and fear tucked itself into her chest.

“Good. They deserve it.” A pause. “Casey, I don’t think you understand what They want. People were murdered so this murder cult of dads could keep living and keep this town living. They refused to let go, to move on and grow. And they murdered. _They were bad people_ and They don’t deserve to be fed, ever again. Please tell me you understand that.”

Casey stared at the ground for a minute, a small frown on her face, her brows wrinkled just a little bit. After a few silent minutes passed, she said in a quiet voice, “So I ignore Their pain?”

“It feels strange because we’ve taught you to be compassionate and to care for others, but yes. Ignore Them.” Casey gave Mae a dejected nod as Mae pulled her into a tight hug. She pressed a kiss to her head , trying to calm her heart rate a little.

“Wanna go get ice cream, Case?”

“Yeah, ice cream sounds great.”


End file.
